Mormon Momma

[Door of bathroom begins to open slowly.]

Mom: No, no! Don’t come in. I’m dressing.

Caleb: But, Mom, I’m vewy handsome!

The many Mother’s Day posts recently have reminded me of the talk I was asked to give last year and how much I struggled with preparing it. I did not want to send anyone (including myself) on a guilt trip and I also recognized that not every woman in our ward was a mother. But I also really believe and strive to adhere to my assigned topic when asked to speak in church.

In reading the thoughts and feelings we have about this holiday, I remembered how much my perspective and courage was strengthened as I prepared and gave this talk. My hope is that others will also find encouragement and consider methods and teachings of Christ that help them be better mothers (and parents, spouses, friends, and neighbors).

As a disclaimer, in re-reading my talk this afternoon, I find it is still a bit too sugar-coated. (I’m not always as good as it almost sounds in following the example and teachings of Christ as a parent.) And I edited as I spoke, as I would have run over my allotted time giving this as it is written.

“HOW THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST MAKE ME A BETTER MOTHER” Continue Reading »

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and as a woman without children I have thought about this day a lot. In years past I’ve felt hostile, sad, indifferent and even a bit glad on Mother’s Day. Continue Reading »

Escape
By Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer
Broadway Books, 2007

Carolyn was the first woman to escape from the Colorado City FLDS community with all of her children. Her autobiography is a desolate moonscape of unrighteous dominion gone mad.

The real horror is the likelihood that the men in this true story—who pervert the notion of spirituality to an obscene degree—sincerely believe they are honoring their priesthood. Continue Reading »

I am your worst nightmare.

I am a bad American. Continue Reading »

Nephi is known as being “highly favored of the Lord” (1 Nephi 1:1) and having “great desires to know.” (1 Nephi 2:16) He believed the words of his father. (1 Nephi 2:16) Nephi knew from experience that the Lord would not give a commandment without also providing a way to accomplish that command, and Nephi’s faith and trust in the Lord was evidenced by his declaration that he would “go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded.” (1 Nephi 3:7)

Now I do not intend nor desire to put myself on the same level as a prophet. But for many years I have felt a kinship with Nephi. Continue Reading »

Learn the names of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the 12 Apostles set to music!

Elder Wirthlin’s talk in General Conference hit me hard for multiple reasons, but one is not obvious to those who don’t know my family well.

My family is Wonder Bread in the bakery section of life. My wife, our six children and I are not just white; we have been called transparent. However, our family housed a black “son” for two years and a black family for four months. For almost three years, we were a mixed-race family in practical terms. Our black son is a baptized member of the Church (through the influence of his grandmother), but he is completely inactive (through the influence of his upbringing and culture prior to and during his time with his grandmother). Another factor in his inactivity is that he simply doesn’t “fit in” at Church. Continue Reading »

“Mom, why did you have so many kids?”

A reasonable question by a seven year old with ten other brothers and sisters.

“Well, we really wanted to stop with Angela,” (number five in the line up) “but they just kept coming…” my mom offered by way of explanation.

It was at that moment that I formed the opinion that I was destined to have loads of babies, so I told myself to get used to it and pray that I would like them all. Continue Reading »

My mom in her generosity gifted a huge brown bag full of organic millet to our family. Now to most people this gift would seem a bit strange, but not to me. If you only had the pleasure of knowing my mom. Continue Reading »